Access Gallery, in collaboration with Britannia Art Gallery and neighbouring businesses, presents Life After Doomsday, a multi-site project by Calgary-based artist Jason de Haan.

Taken from a 1960s nuclear survival guidebook, the title of this project reflects the artist’s central concern of “overcoming problems.” Throughout this multi-site work, de Haan humorously and pensively imagines what is possible after the end of days. Drawing from metaphysics, popular culture, philosophy, and history, his work explores the untapped energy of materials. Hopeful, yet sometimes absurd, his arrangements of items such as rocks, mirrors, crystals, and books evoke spiritual and mystical attempts to attain a higher order and achieve the miraculous in the face of looming disasters.

At Access Gallery, de Haan presents two sculptural works that focus and reflect energy while referring to ideas of the commune and the social pact.

Britannia Art Gallery features de Haan’s new work Internal and external acceptance of change, awareness of higher spiritual realities, unconditional love and acceptance of others, the realm of miracles. Made of paperback science fiction novels and cut stones, minerals, and crystals, this sculpture highlights the metaphysical properties of its materials.

A special edition of drink coasters will be distributed at local pubs Irish Heather, Shebeen, and Salt.

The artist and Access Gallery will host two reading groups at the Britannia Art Gallery on 10 February and 10 March 2010 to address several histories, phenomena, and implications directly related to this project. The reading materials will be available for pick up before each group meets. Please contact access@vaarc.ca for more information on the reading group.

Access Gallery gratefully acknowledges the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver, the 2010 Legacies Now’s program, Innovations, our members and volunteers. Access is a member of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres.